Field coil support structure and modular field coil design in a superconducting machine
AssigneeGeneral Electric Renovables Espana, S.L.
InventorErnst Wolfgang Stautner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electric machine including an annular armature assembly and a non-rotating annular field winding assembly coaxial with the armature assembly and separated by a gap from the armature assembly. The field winding assembly including a field coil support structure having an annular array of recesses formed therein and extending about the field coil support structure. The field winding assembly further including a plurality of superconducting coils, each disposed in a recess of the annular array of recesses. A generator and a method for generating electrical power are disclosed.
Claims18
An electric machine comprising:
- an annular armature assembly;
- and
- a non-rotating annular field winding assembly coaxial with the armature assembly and separated by a gap from the armature assembly, wherein the field winding assembly comprises:
- a field coil support structure having an annular array of recesses formed therein and extending about the field coil support structure;
- a plurality of superconducting coils, each of the plurality of superconducting coils disposed in a recess of the annular array of recesses;
- and
- at least one segmented thermal shield disposed about the plurality of superconducting coils and one or more support pillars disposed to support the at least one segmented thermal shield relative to the plurality of superconducting coils.
A generator comprising:
- an annular armature assembly;
- and
- a non-rotating annular field winding assembly coaxial with the armature assembly and separated by a gap from the armature assembly, wherein the field winding assembly comprises:
- a field coil support structure formed of a non-shrinking material having a negligible coefficient of thermal expansion;
- a plurality of superconducting coils, each of the plurality of superconducting coils disposed relative to the field coil support structure;
- and
- at least one segmented thermal shield disposed about the plurality of superconducting coils and one or more support pillars disposed to support each of the at least one segmented thermal shields relative to the plurality of superconducting coils.
A method for generating electrical power comprising:
- generating a magnetic field in a non-rotating annular field winding assembly in a generator, wherein the non-rotating annular field winding assembly comprises:
- a field coil support structure having an annular array of recesses formed therein and extending about the field coil support structure;
- a plurality of superconducting coils, each of the plurality of superconducting coils disposed in a recess of the annular array of recesses;
- and
- at least one segmented thermal shield disposed about the plurality of superconducting coils and one or more support pillars disposed to support each of the at least one segmented thermal shields relative to the plurality of superconducting coils;
- rotating an armature assembly of the generator, wherein the armature assembly is coaxial and electromagnetically coupled to the non-rotating annular field winding assembly, wherein the non-rotating annular field winding assembly is separated by a gap from the armature assembly;
- generating electrical current in the armature assembly by the rotation of the armature assembly around the non-rotating annular field winding assembly;
- and
- cooling the plurality of superconducting coils to a superconducting condition using a cooling liquid that is at least partially vaporized as it cools the plurality of superconducting coils,
- wherein the field coil support structure is comprised of a material having a low coefficient of thermal expansion to maintain a dimension of the gap between the non-rotating annular field winding assembly and the armature assembly during cooling of the plurality of superconducting coils to the superconducting condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.